Florida’s New College discards gender studies books in ‘weeding’ of libraries

New College of Florida has discarded scores of books from its collection — including a number about gender studies — in what the university described as a “weeding” of its libraries.

Some on social media decried the move as photos circulated online of piles of books in boxes and what appeared to be a giant dumpster.

But the Sarasota campus said its library was following its standard annual procedures for updating its collection, “which involves the removal of materials that are old, damaged, or otherwise no longer serving the needs of the College.”

University spokesperson Nathan March said in a statement that the process was carried out by “professional librarians trained to assess the collection” and that state law prevents the university from selling, donating or transferring the books purchased with state funds.

“Deselected materials are discarded, through a recycling process when possible,” March said in the statement.

A separate set of books, he said, were discarded from the school’s gender studies program, which trustees moved to discontinue this year. Those books, March said, came from multiple sources, including donations, and were moved to “a book drop location” where he said they were claimed by people planning to donate them.

Spokespeople for Gov. Ron DeSantis cheered the move on social media. Jeremy Redfern congratulated the school on “putting gender studies books in the garbage,” while Bryan Griffin said “the gender studies books ARE getting dumped because that propaganda is no longer offered at @NewCollegeofFL.”

Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, called the removal of the books, particularly around LGBTQ+ and religious studies topics, “a brazen act of censorship.”

“The dumping of these books is more than just the disposal of outdated materials,” Jackson said in a statement. “It is a clear and dangerous signal of the extent to which political interference is poisoning our educational institutions.”